Detachable fastener for buttons and other articles



Jan. 27, 1953 RUBENsTElN 2,626,437

DETACHABLE FASTENER FOR BUTTONS AND OTHER ARTICLES Filed Jan. 51, 1951 INVENTOR JULIA RUBENSTEIN ATTOR EY Patented Jan. 27, 1953 DETACHABLE FASTENER FOR BUTTONS AND OTHER ARTICLES- Julia Rubenstein, New York, N. Y.

Application January 31, 1951, Serial No. 208,741

13 Claims.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my application, Serial No. 135,389, filed December 28, 1949, now forfeited.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a detachable fastener for buttons, emblems and badges, pins, corsages, and other articles.

When certain garments are cleaned it is necessary or advisable to remove the buttons. The present practice of sewing the buttons in place is inconvenient because they must first be cut off and later resewed. This invention proposes a detachable fastener which may easily be engaged through cloth material and other materials and which may be operated to releasably hold a button or other article releasably attached to said cloth or other material. With detachable fasteners of this type it will be possible to attachand remove the buttons of a garment with great ease. The new detachable fastener may also be used to hold other articles besides buttons against cloth or other materials which'may be pierced by certain pins of the detachable fastener.

The new detachable fastener may be made in various sizes for holding small, medium and large buttons and for holding other small, medium or large articles.

The new detachable fastenenin accordance with this invention, is characterized by a pair of members coaxially turnably mounted, and a pin for each member mounted upon the members in a certain way. Particularly, it is proposed that one of the pins have a shank portion fixedly connected with one of said members and a pointed hook portion on said shank portion. It is proposed that the other of said pins have a shank portion connected with the other ofsaid members, and also have a pointed hook portion on its shank.

It is proposed to'so arrange the pins and members that inone position of the members said hook portions may be parallel or spaced from each other in order that they may be easily engaged through cloth or other material, and removed, without damaging the cloth or other material, except for small holes through which the pins pass, which in most materials will be invisible after the pins have been withdrawn. It is :furthermore proposed that, in a turned position of said members, said points of said hook portions 7 will be capable of touching each other in order to lock said detachable fastener on said cloth or other material, and so indirectly lock a button or other upon said cloth or other material,

In accordance with this invention the members may be of various designs and forms. Several forms have been shown on the drawing and disclosed in this specification, such as casings, shells, discs, turns of wire, etc., though of course other shapes and forms may also be used. Similarly, the pins may be of various sizes and shapes,

and of different constructions, and it will be found that they will operate satisfactorily provided their shanks and their points bear the relationship defined for them. The new detachable fastener may be permanently attached to buttons or other articles, or the fasteners may be independent of the buttons or other articles and may be merely used to attach buttons or other articles to cloth or other material.

The invention also proposes the provision of means for holdingthe turnable members releasably locked in their positions in which the pin points touch each other in order that the detachable fastener may be held closed to prevent accidental losing of buttons and other articles held by the fastener. Here again the releasing means may be of various designs and forms, several of which have been disclosed in the fasteners embodied'in this specification.

Another object of the invention is the construction of a device as described which is simple and durable and which may be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference-will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. l is a plan view of a detachable fastener constructed in accordance with this invention, one of the pins thereof being schematically shown in its locking position with dot and dash lines.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 bf Fig.1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of Fig. 1.

Fig.4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating a detachable fastener constructed in accordance with a modified form of this invention.

Fig. 5'is a plan view of still another detachable fastener constructed in accordance with still another inodified form of this invention.

" j'Fig.".6 is a sectional view taken on the line '6--6 of Fi 5. 55

fastener constructed in accordance with another form of this invention.

Fig. 8 is an elevational view of Fig. 7, a portion thereof being broken away to disclose interior parts.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of still another detachable fastener constructed in accordance with another form of this invention.

Fig. 10 is an elevational view of Fig. 9 with a portion thereof broken away to disclose interior parts.

Fig. 11 is still another plan view of a detachable fastener constructed in accordance with still another form of this invention.

Fig. 12 is an elevational view of Fig. 11 with a portion thereof broken away to disclose interior parts.

The new detachable fastener, in accordance with that form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1-3, includes a member I having an axis A and a second member II coaxially turnably mounted on said member ID so as to have a common axis A with said member I0. The member ID comprises two parts, namely, a shell I6 and a central stud I2 fixedly mounted axially of the shell I6. The shell I6 has a base wall I3 and a skirt wall I4. Th stud I2 has one end I engaged through a central opening in the base wall I3 and riveted over so as to fixedly connect these parts. The member II is in the form of a ring turnably mounted within the skirt wall I4 of the shell I6. The stud I2 passes through the center of the member II and is provided with a top flange I! which engages a complementary groove in the member I I for turnably supporting the member II in position. 7

A pin is mounted on the member I 0 and a second pin 2I is mounted upon the member I I. More specifically, the pin 20 has a shankportion 22 axially of and fixedly connected with the axis of the member I!) by fixedly engaging the axis of the stud I2. This pin 20 has a hook portion 23 on said shank portion 22 which terminates in a point 24 which is X radius of said axis A of said members I6 and I I. The pin 2I has a shank portion 25 parallel to the shank portion 22 and fixedly connected with the member I I at a point which is 2X radius of the axis A of said members It and II. This pin 2I also has a hook portion 26 parallel to the hook portion23 and terminating in a point 21 which is X radius of said axis A of said members In and II. The members I 6 and II have been illustrated in a position in which said hook portions 23 and 26 are parallel to each other and spaced from each other in order that they may be easily engaged simultaneously through cloth or other material. The member ID may be turned counter-clockwise in relation to the member II, as viewed in Fig. 1, so that the pin 20 will assume the position illustrated by the dot and dash lines 20 in Fig. 1 in which position said points 24 and 21 touch each other in order to lock said detachable fastener.

The members I0 and II are associated with releasable means for holding them in positions in which the hook portions 23 and 26 are locked. This means comprises a projection 30 formed in the skirt wall I4 and engaging a groove 3! formed in the side of the member II. This groove 3|, extends substantially through 180. At its remote end t is provided with a recess 32 into which the projection 30 may snap to hold the members I0 and II in the position in which the points 24 and 21 engage each other. .The projection 33 and groove 3I also s rve Q limit relative turning of the members In and II through substantially The parts are so designed that when the projection 30 is at the left hand end of the groove 3| the hooks 23 and 26 are parallel, and when the members I0 and I I are turned so that the projection 30 is at the other end of the groove 3|, the hooks 23 and 26 are in their locked positions.

The operation of the device may be understood from the following:

The detachable fastener, as illustrated on the drawing by the full lines, may be engaged upon cloth or other material by merely simultaneously engaging the parallel hook portions 23 and 26 through the cloth or other material. The loop of a button or of any other article, or other parts of an article, may then be slipped on to one of the hook portions 23, or 26. Preferably, the button or other article should he slipped on to the hook portion 26 in order to hold this hook stationary. Then the member II] is merely rotated so that the pin 20 turns on its shank 22 and its hook portion 23 moves around to the position indicated by the dot and dash lines 20 in Fig. l, and locks the article upon the hook portion 26.

The detachable fastener may be used in still another way. One of the hook portions, as for example the hook portion 26, may be pierced through cloth or other material by engaging it through the material from the front to the back and then continuing to an adjacent spot and engaging said hook portion 26 through said material from the back to the front. The hook portion 26 could also be pierced through the cloth or other material by merely engaging it into and out of said material. The material may be slight ly folded to facilitate this piercing operation. Now the hook portion 23 may be rotated about axis A until thepoint 24 engages the point 2'! in order to close the fastener. With this operation the member I0 may be in the nature of a button, or the member I0 may be attached to and support or carry a button head, or emblem, or badge, or ornamental pin, or other article.

In Fig. 4 a modified form of the invention has been disclosed which is very similar to the prior form, except that it has been somewhat simplified. In this form of the invention the detachable fastener comprises a member 35 in the form of a shell rotatively supporting a member 36 in the form of a disc. The edge portion 3! of the member 35 is slightly bent over the edge portion of the member 36 to turnably hold these members together. Pins 20 and 2I are mounted respectively on the members 35 and 36. The shank 22 of the pin 20 engages through an aperture 38 of the member 36 and is fixedly mountedcoaxially to the member 35 upon the axis A of said members 35 and 36. The shank 25 of the pin 2I is parallel to the shank 22 of the pin 20 and is fixedly mounted on the member 36 at a radius 2X. The base wall of the member 35 is provided with a projection 39 engaging a groove 40 formed in the base of the member 36. This groove 40 has a high end and a low end 4| which is substantially 180 from the high end. When the projection 39 engages the low end 4| the members 35 and 36 are removably locked in position. The pins 20 and 2| are constructed identical to the corresponding pins disclosed in the prior form of the invention and their relation ship to the axis of the-members 35 and 36 are identical to the relationship of the corresponding pins in the prior form of theinvention to theaxis of the turnable members thereof.

In other respects this form of the invention is identical to the previous form.

The operation of this form of the invention is identical to the prior form. The parallel pins and 2| are pierced through cloth or other material. An object is engaged on one of said pins, and then the members 35 and 36 are turned substantially 180 relative to each other to cause the points of the pins 28 and 2| to engage each other and lock the article in position as previously explained in the operation of the first form of the invention.

In Figs. 5 and 6 another embodiment of the invention has been disclosed. This detachable fastener comprises a member 45 having an axis A and a second member 46 c0- axially turnably mounted in relation to the member 45. The member 45 is formed from a shell 41 and two turns of wire 48 which are clamped stationary by the skirt portion of the shell 41. The member 46 is in the nature of one coil of wire which is engaged beneath the top coil of the wire 48 and by which it is turnably supported in position. A pin 29 has its shank 22 coaxially disposed of the member 45 and is fixedly connected with said member 45 by a radial portion 49 which continues into the top coil 48. The member 46 continues into a shank portion 25 which forms a part of a pin 2|. The shank portions 22' and 25' are parallel to each other. The pins 20 and 2| have hook portions 23' and 26', respectively, which are parallel to each other. These hooked portions terminate in points 24' and 21'. These points 24 and 21 are on radius X of the axis A of rotation of the members 45 and 46. The members 45 and 46 are limited to turning substantially 180 by the fact that the radial portion 49 will strike the shank portion 25' when the member 45 is turned counter-clockwise 180 in relation to the member 46. In this form of the invention the resiliency of the coils 48 and the coil of the member 46 is depended upon to hold the pins 20 and 2| in their locked positions. This friction is also depended upon to hold the pins 20' and 2| in their parallel positions.

In other respects this form of the invention is identical to the prior form. Its operation and use are identical.

In Figs. 7 and 8 another form of detachable fastener has been disclosed- This fastener includes a member 59 having an axis represented by the center of the cross 5| in Fig. '1. A second member 52 is coaxiallyturn-ably mounted in relation tothe member 59 Pins 53 and 54 are provided for said members 59 and 52. .The pin 53 has a shank portion 55 fixedly connected with the member 59. The pin 54 is provided with a shank portion 58 fixedly connected with the member 52. Shanks 55 and 56 are both positioned eccentrically of the axis 5|. The pins v53 and 54 resemble pointed hook portions which are spaced from each other in one position of the members 50 and 52, the position illustrated on the drawing, in order that they may be easily engaged through certain materials. The members 59 and 52 are relatively turnable about the axis indicated by the cross 5| in order that the pins 53 and 54 may engage each other for locking the fastener tosaid material.

- The member 59 is in the nature of a casing-having a shell portion 51 and a bottom closure disc 58; The shell portion 51 has a central annular depressed portion 59 and a peripheral skirt wall 60. The pin 53 is fixedly connected with the em er 0 by e a i throueh anopening. 6|

'in the top of the shell portion 51 and continue into a wire coil portion 62 which engages around the central annular depressed portion 59. The second member 52 is in the nature of a wire coil which engages about the inside face of the skirt Wall 69.

The top face of the shell portion 51 is formed with a slot 63 which is substantially coaxial with the axis indicated by the cross 5| and through which the shank 56 of the pin 54 passes. When the shank 56 is at one end of the slot 63 the pins 53 and 54 are parallel, as shown in Fig. 7. The member 52 may be rotated by moving the shank 56 along the slot 63 until it reaches the other end of the slot 63. This latterend has an enlarged portion 64 into which the shank 56 may engage for locking the member 52 at this end of the slot 63. In this position of the member 52 the pin 54 will engage the pin 53. This represents the locked position of the fastener.

The fastener may be used, for example, by engaging the pin 53 into or through cloth or other material and back again, through said material and then the pin 54 maybe moved around until it touches the pin 53 for locking the fastener. The pins 53 and 54 when touching each other re.- semble a loop by which the fastener is held upon said material. The'points of said pins are bevelled so that when they touch each other, the loop which is formed by the pins will be continuous so that said loop may adjust itself centrally on said material when the fastener is let go by the person engaging it in position. The member 50 may be in the nature of a button or other article, or a button head, or other object may be attached to the member 50.

The modified form of the invention disclosed in Figs. 9 and 10 includes a member 10 in them.- ture of a button head having an axis represented by the center of the cross 1| shown in Fig. 9. A second member 12'is coaxially turnably mounted in relation to the member 19. The second member 12 is in the nature of a wire coil which is turnably mounted within a shell 13 mounted upon the top of the member 19. The member 12 has a shank portion 14, positioned eccentrically of the axis 1|, which continues into a 'pin- 15. This shank portion 14 extends through a slot 16 formed in the top of the shell 13. A pin 11 is indirectly mounted upon the member 16. This pin 11 has a shank portion 13, also eccentrically disposed to the axis 1|, which engage through an openingin the top of the shell13 and 'which'continues into awire coil 19 positioned around' the shell'13' and "upon the coil 12. 'The end'till of the slot- 16 1s offset in order to lock the'sha'nk 14 in a position in which the pins 15fand "engage eachother when the member 12 is turned counter-clockwise from the position illustrated in Fig. 9 by moving said shank 14 counter-clockwise.

The use and operation of this form of the invention isidentical' to that form shown in Figs. T I A .l

In Figs. 11 and 12 still another' form of the invention has beendisclosed which includes a member 82 in the natureof a button head or other article. This member has an axis represented by the cross 83 in'Fig. '11. A second member 84 'is coaxially turnably'. mounted in: reiation to the member 82. 'A headed-studi85 is mounted -on the topof the member 82. The member 841s in'ithe nature of a wire coilmounted' about'thexstem of the stud 85.: .This me'mber'84 continues ,into; a

shank postion- 88 which continues into a pin 81. The pin 81 is spacedffoin a stationary pin 88 mounted on the member 82. This pin 88 has a shank 89 which engages through a slot 90 formed in the head of the stud 85. The shanks 88 and 88 are positionedecoentrically of the axis 83 of the member 82. The shank 89 continues into a wire coil 9| which is engaged about the stem of the stud 85 and which rests on the wire coil forming said member 84. The head of the stud 85 has a cut out side 82 about which the shank 86 of the pin 81 may be moved until it reaches a position adjacent a small niche-like cutout 93 into which the shank 86 may snap. In this latter position the pin 81 will have moved around to a position in which it engages the pin 88.

The operation and use of this form of the invention is identical to the prior two forms.

7 While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is: I

l. A detachable fastener for buttons, emblems, badges, pins, corsages and other articles, comprising a member having an axis, a second member coaxially turnably mounted on said member, a pin for each of said members, one of said pins having a shank portion axially of and fixedly connected with one of said members and having a pointed hook portion on said shank portion and terminating in a point which is X radius of said axis, and the other of said pins having a shank portion parallel to said shank portion and fixedly connected with the other of said members at a point which is 2X radius of said axis and also having a pointed hook portion on its shank portion, said latter hook portion terminating in a point which is X radius of said axis, in one position of said members said hook portions being parallel and spaced from each other in order that they may be easily engaged through cloth material, and in a turned position of said members said points of said hook portions touch each other in order to lock and hold a button or other article.

2. A detachable fastenerfor buttons, emblems, badges, pins, cors'ages and other articles, comprising a member having an axis, a second member coaxially turnably mounted on said member, a pin for each of said members, one of said pins having a shank portion axially of and fixedly connected with one of said members and having a pointed hook portion on said shank portion and terminating in a point which is X radius of said axis, and the other of said pins having a shank portion parallel to said shank portion and fixedly connected with the other of said members at a point which is 2X radius of said axis and also having a pointed hook portion on its shank portion, said latter hook portion terminating in a point which is X radius of said axis, in one position of said members said hook portions being parallel and spaced from each other in order that they may be easily engaged through cloth material, and in a turned position of said members said points of said hook portions touch each other in order to lock and hold a button or other article, and releasable means for holding said members in said latter position.

3. A detachable fastener for buttons, emblems, badges, pins, corsages and other articles, comprising a member having an axis, a second member coaxially turnably mounted on said member, a pin for each of said members, one of said pins having a shank portion axially of and fixedly connected with one of said members and having a pointed hook portion on said shank portion and terminating in a point which is X radius of said axis, and the other of said pins having a shank portion parallel to said shank portion and fixedly connected with the other of said members at a point which is 2X radius of said axis and also having a pointed hook portion on its shank portion, said latter hook portion terminating in a point which is X radius of said axis, in one position of said members said hook portions being parallel and spaced from each other in order that they may be easily engaged through cloth material, and in a turned position of said members said points of said hook portions touch each other in order to lock and hold a button or other article, and releasable means for holding said members in said latter position, comprising a projection on one of said members engaging a recess on the other said members.

4. A detachable fastener for buttons, emblems, badges, pins, corsages and other articles, comprising a member having an axis, a second member coaxially turnably mounted on said member, a pin for each of said members, one of said pins having a shank portion axially of and fixedly connected with one of said members and having a pointed hook portion on said shank portion and terminating in a point which is X radius of said axis, and the other of said pins having a shank portion parallel to said shank portion and fixedly connected with the other of said members at a point which is 2X radius of said axis and also having a pointed hook portion on its shank portion, said latter hook portion terminating in a point which is X radius of said axis, in one position of said members said hook portions being parallel and spaced from each other in order that they may be easily engaged through cloth material, and in a turned position of said members said points of said hook portions touch each other in order to lock and hold a button or other article, said first named member having a circular flange, and said second member being positioned within said circular flange.

5. A detachable fastener for buttons, emblems, badges, pins, Corsages, and other articles, comprising a member having an axis, a second member coaxially turnably mounted on said member, a pin for each of said members, one of said pins having a shank portion axially of and fixedly connected with one of said members and having a pointed hook portion on said shank portion and terminating in a point which is X radius of said axis, and the other of said pins having a shank portion parallel to said shank portion and fixedly connected with the other of said members at a point which is 2X radius of said axis and also having a pointed hook portion on its shank portion, said latter hook portion terminating in a point which is X radius of said axis, in one position of said members said hook portions being parallel and spaced from each other in order that they may be easily engaged through cloth material, and in a turned position of said members said points of said hook portions touch each other in order to lock and hold a button or other article, said first named member having a cir- 9 cular fiange, and said second member being positioned within said circular flange, said pin which has a shank portion axially of and fixedly connected with one of said members being connected with said first named member.

6. A detachable fastener for buttons, emblems, badges, pins, corsages and other articles, comprising a member having an axis, a second member coaxially turnably mounted in relation to said member, a pin for each of said members, one of said pins having a shank portion fixedly connected with one of said members eccentric of the axis thereof and having a pointed hook portion on said shank portion terminating in a point which is X radius of said axis, and the other of said pins having a shank portion fixedly connected with the other of said members eccentric of the axis thereof and also having a pointed hook portion on its shank terminating in a point which is X radius of said axis, said hook portions being parallel and spaced from each other in one position of said members in order that they may be easily engaged through some material, and in a turned position of said members said points of said hook portions touch each other in order to jointly form a single loop by which said fastener may loosely hang from said material.

7. A fastener as defined in claim 6, including releasable means for holding said members in said latter position.

8. A detachable fastener for buttons, emblems, badges, pins, corsages and other articles, comprising a member having an axis, a second member coaxially turnably mounted in relation to said member, a pin for each of said members, one of said pins having a shank portion fixedly connected with one of said members eccentric of the axis thereof and also having a pointed hook portion on said shank portion, and the other of said pins having a shank portion fixedly connected with the other of said members eccentric of the axis thereof and also having pointed hook portions on said shank portion, said hook portions being spaced from each other in one position of said members in order that they may be easily engaged through some material, and said members being turnable to a position in which said hook portions touch each other in order to jointly form a single loop by which said fastener may loosely hang from said material.

9. A fastener as defined in claim 8, including releasable means for holding said members in said latter position.

10. A fastener as defined in claim 8 in which said first mentioned member comprises a casing having in one of its faces a slot substantial coaxial of said axis, and said second member comprises a wire coil coaxially turnably mounted in said casing, and said shank of one of said pins extending through said slot.

11. A fastener as defined in claim 8, in which said first mentioned member has a headed stud portion, and said second member comprises a wire coil coaxially turnably mounted upon said headed stud portion.

12. A fastener as defined in claim 8, in which said hook portions are substantially parallel in one position of said members.

13. A fastener as defined in claim 8, in which said first mentioned member comprises a casing having in one of its faces a slot substantially coaxial of said axis, and said second member comprises a wire coil coaxially turnably mounted in said casing and having its shank extending through said slot, and said slot having an offset portion for locking said second member in a fixed position.

JULIA RUBENSTEIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,718,858 Frank June 25, 1929 

